Excessive Speed Leads to Accident, Injuring Three

A tragic accident occurred last Tuesday in the Houston area, an accident that could have been avoided.

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Assistant Chief Ben Tien tells the story of a Houston police officer who was clocking vehicle speeds on the 5000 block of South Braeswood near South Rice. Around 10 a.m., a silver Mercedes SUV speed by along the 610 loop near the South Braeswood exit. Since the officer had his radar gun out, he was able to clock the vehicle at approximately 100 miles per hour.

The officer tried to catch up to the SUV, according to Tien, but the vehicle had already taken the South Braeswood exit, escaping capture.

Minutes later, a call came in of a vehicle matching that SUV’s description crashing into a tree near South Rice. The officers that responded on the scene soon realized that, in addition to the driver, two small children were in the car.

A 3-year-old child suffered non-life-threatening injuries. A one-year-old child, however, was taken to the hospital to undergo surgery. As of this writing, the younger child’s future is still uncertain.

The driver of the SUV sustained minor injuries, as well.

Officials say that both children were unrestrained in the vehicle. Legally, they should have both been in car seats.

This crash is an example of how great tragedy can often be avoided, but driving at excessive speeds often leads to heartbreaking events.